Clyde Tombaugh, American Astronomer

Clyde Tombaugh, American Astronomer

Tombaugh using blink comparator. Clyde William Tombaugh (February 4, 1906 - January 17, 1997) was an American astronomer. He became an assistant at Lowell Observatory. Lowell predicted the existence of a ninth planet, and a team was set up to find it. Tombaugh invented the blink comparator to facilitate the search. This device allowed comparison of photographs of the sky to show if any object had altered position. In 1930 he discovered the dwarf planet Pluto. He also discovered nearly 800 asteroids and hundreds of variable stars, as well as star clusters, and galaxy clusters. He is credited with the discovery of periodic comet 274P/Tombaugh-Tenagra. He was the most eminent astronomer to have reported seeing unidentified flying objects and to support the extraterrestrial hypothesis. He died in 1997 at the age of 90. One ounce of his ashes is being carried on the New Horizons space probe. The container includes the inscription: "interned herein are remains of American Clyde W. Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto and the solar system's 'third zone'. Adelle and Muron's boy, Patricia's husband, Annette and Alden's father, astronomer, teacher, punster, and friend: Clyde W. Tombaugh (1906-1997)".

Album / Science Source / New York Public Library

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3867 x 2876 px | 31.8 MB

32.7 x 24.4 cm | 12.9 x 9.6 in (300 dpi)